The golden haired girl pointed at the boy, "You're the apprentice of Melk? That's~ not what I was expecting at all. I was certain that you would be some beefed up guy who stood at least 8 feet from the ground and had a tough looking face. I didn't expect you to be, I don't know, handsome." Toriko nodded, "And didn't you think he'd have a bunch of scars?" "Yeah, and rough skin, like really rough. With course hair." The two went back and forth about how they believed Melk to look in their minds. The boy sighed, "You two have very vivid imaginations. No matter, come in. It's been a long time since I've had guests." He opened the door and The girl ran in, "Thanks for inviting us in." She looked around and saw the many knives on the wall. "This is like a dream I aspire to have when I got to sleep at night. I could sit here and look at these beautiful knives all day long. Look at all the rare natural materials on the walls." She walked over to the unsharpened knives, "Even unsharpened, they are still so sharp. I wonder how it'll look when it's done. Each knife is specialized for different foods. As people drool over food, I want to drool over these knives." She reached up for one, "Don't touch that!" The girl flinched mid grab, "I'm so sorry Cutler Melk! I wasn't trying to be rude!" Her elbow hit the wall and a knife began to come down over her head.

"Éclair!" Toriko pulled the girl out of the way as the sharp knife fell into the floor. She looked at the knife and shrieked, "What the hell! I could have died!" Her eyes glazed over, "But how amazing would that be to die by a Melk knife." Toriko picked up the knife from the stone floor. Melk pointed, "Be care with that knife. It is made from the tooth of a Warner Shark." The man placed the knife back in its place, "So tell me, do you get these raw materials yourself, or do your customers provide them? He stared intensely at the blue haired man, "I get all of the materials myself." Éclair squealed, "He's so cool!" Toriko shook his head, "I don't believe it. I don't believe you personally got the tooth from a capture level 55 Warner Shark. I don't think you have that much raw power."

Éclair looked at the man, "Ugh, you are being so rude!" Melk continued, "How do you know that without finding out?" The man held up his hand and brought down the knife of
his own. He slashed through the floor just as the other knife did." Éclair pulled her own hair, "What the hell is your problem! I know this floor already has a ton of scratches but you can't go making cuts of your own! This isn't your place to do that!" Melk tightened his fists, "Outside, right now." Éclair lowered her eyebrows, "Look what you did now. We're getting kicked out already and we just got here. Who do you think you are to just pick a fight, huh? Me? Because that certainly sounds like some crap I'd pull."

Toriko and Melk stood in front of one another preparing themselves for a fight. "How about you find out my power for yourself then, since you were curious." Éclair gulped, "How about you just tell him you're sorry for the floor incident and we just came here for some Stardust and a knife. Could you do that?" "Shush Éclair." She folded her arms, "Me shush! For once it wasn't me talking crap, my mouth didn't get us into this, yours did." She took a seat on a stump out of the way. Melk took out a knife. "I'll be testing my new knife." Éclair smiled, "Isn't that something. That knife is so pretty." Toriko exhaled, "I don't understand why you got so offended, but if it's a fight you want~" It started, and Melk began with a single slash followed by Toriko's knife technique. The knife broke though his attack and cracked his knife. With a quick sharpen on the boots, his knife was back in good shape. Éclair grinned, "Melk is so astounding." He swung again and cut up Toriko's shirt. The man ran over to Cutler Melk and threw him to the ground. Éclair ran over to the boy, "Toriko, what has gotten into you! Stop! Are you okay Melk?"

The boy sat up, "Toriko? A Heavenly King? I can understand why you're so powerful now." The bluenette nodded, "Yes, that's who I am, but who are you? Where's the real Melk?" The group walked back inside and Toriko continued, "There are too many coincidences for you to be the real Sharpener Melk. For instance, the real front door which you use as a back door isn't even human sized. The stairs in your home as well as on Melk Mountain are gigantic." Éclair scratched her head, "Huh? Wait, slow down. I can't handle all of these observations at once. Why is the front door in back?" He shrugged, "I have a lot of things that need transporting." Toriko raised an eyebrow, "Okay, then how about this. My old man, Ichiryuu said he was friends with Melk, and you are far too young." The young man nodded, "You're right. The Melk you speak of is my master. I am the second generation of the first gen techniques."

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Éclair punched the man's arm, "You we're just being so rude, picking fights and what not!" The man rubbed his arm, "Ouch, that metal hand the old man gave you is tough." Melk looked at the girl. "Who may I ask are you to be accompanying the Bishokuya Toriko?" She did a curtsy, "My name is Éclair Reinbou, head chef at the Hotel Gourmet." His eyes amplified, "The one who recreated the Century Soup right?" Éclair's cheeks were filled with rose colors, "Wow, I can't believe the news of the Century Soup reached even you. That makes me so happy." Toriko nodded, "Yes, she is a great chef, and also my partner." Melk smiled, "I didn't think I'd have such great guests. It's been years since I've been around people, and to be around guests like you 2 is an honor."

The girl twirled her honey colored hair, "Has the first generation heard too?" He shook his head, "No. He's been mining for materials to be made into whetstones." She sighed, "Oh, well the fact that you know who I am is good enough for me." She rubbed the back of her head, "Listen Melk, the reason we came here~" "You want a knife." She nodded, "Yeah! You think you can make me one?" He nodded, "Of course. I have a lot of orders though, so it will be done in approximately 3 years." The girl sighed, "3 years~" She dug into her satchel and pulled out her knife, "Looks like I'll just have to use you without a handle." The girl pulled out her machete as well, "Maybe I can use you to help me cook." Melk walked over to her, "That kitchen knife, it's extraordinary." He picked up the machete as well, "I must say, this is one of the dullest knives I have ever seen. May I?" She nodded and he slashed the large knife into the ground, "It's still got a lot of sharpness within it. It's like the knife refuses to accept its dullness." He handed her the knives back and she put them away. Toriko stood up, "There is actually a favor you can help me out with as well. We're looking for the Melk Stardust." The young man nodded, "Melk Stardust is a whetstone able to sharpen any material in the world. When material is being sharpened, a golden powder is expelled that is used as a seasoning. There is a savoriness like none ever tasted. It was discovered by my master and named after him."

The boy looked at his knives, "If I had that whetstone, the knives I make could be even greater than anything I ever made." Toriko looked back at the boy, "So, if I get you that whetstone, will you make Éclair's knife as soon as possible." The girl smiled, "Well aren't you just a gentleman when you want to be?" He smiled, "So Melk, is it a deal." He shook his head, "It's not possible to mine. It's too dangerous Toriko. My master was a very powerful man and he hasn't been back in 6 years. But I know he's still alive, he has to be." Toriko shrugged, "Be that as it may, it is one of the training ingredients my old man gave me. I knew it would be dangerous. I'll bring back the Stardust and Melk the First." The boy sighed, "30 kilometers north of Melk Mountain is Heavy Hole. That's where the Melk Stardust is located. It is the deepest place in the Human World, thousands of meters deep, and because of that, the gravity is very amplified."

Éclair waved, "Bye Toriko-kun!" The man folded his arms, "What do you mean bye? You're coming too." She shook her head, "Nope, I think the safest place for me to be is surrounded by knives." The man narrowed his eyes, "What! What happened to I'd walk through fire with you Toriko. I'll follow you to the end of the Earth." She rose up her right hand, "But I'm handicap." "Don't give me that! You may be a lot of things, but handicap is not one of them. I see what you're doing here. You just want to be around Melk and look at all the knives and stuff." She nodded, "Yup, so you better get a move on. Good luck! Be safe! Besides, you heard what Melk said, the gravitational pull is crazy, do you really want to carry me in that?" "Oh yeah, all 90 pounds of you." She frowned, "I'm 120, and you know that!" Toriko picked up her satchel and pulled out her knife. "Fine, I'm taking this with me. You say your knives are your life, so I'm taking your life with me. We'll call it collateral." She pouted, "Fine, take my knife." The girl stood up and got serious, "I know I don't have to tell you this, but please make sure my knife isn't disrespected. You know how I feel about that." He knelt to the girl's height, "This knife is a part of you, and I would never disrespect you, nor would I let anything else. I'll be back, okay." She nodded, "Okay, thank you."

Toriko had been long gone by now, and Éclair stood next to Melk outside. The boy spoke, "Toriko, do you think he'll be okay." Éclair nodded, "I don't have a shadow of a doubt. I trust my partner. He survived the Gourmet World~ even if he was saved by a very powerful man and was only there for a short period of time." She smiled, "He'll be fine. Just like Melk the First is." She turned her attention back straight and a Vampire Kong came flying her way. "What the hell is that!" "Stop Pochiko! She's a guest." Eclair looked at the boy, "What?" "She's my pet Vampire Kong, Pochiko. She used to be my master's. She is very intelligent." The purple ape dropped off two 2 bags and flew back into her tree. Éclair smiled, "That is one interesting being. What's in the bag anyway?" "Shipments of knives. I get about 100 everyday." The girl smiled, "How awesome! Can I see you at work? I really want to see how those glorious knives I see in the department stores are made." He nodded, "Come on, I'll show you."

The 2 walked inside and Melk opened the bag. Éclair picked up one of the knives, "This knife is chunk and sparkly. Who in the world does this belong to?" "That right there is actually the knife of Chef Lulubhu." She nearly fainted as she heard the name. "Chef Lulubhu? He's one of the greatest chef's ever. He works in the Grourmet Towers 7 star restaurant. I can't' believe he actually touched this very knife." "This knife is from Chef Yuuji." The girl was like at kid in a candy story, "Oh my goodness. This is fantastic, I want to cry. These knives were once held by some of the highest ranking chefs. There is no amount of money that I could receive to take away this moment right now." The boy walked over to a bowl on the counter and took out a whetstone. "My master doesn't take much interest in the owner of the knives, but I do. When I saw your knife, I could tell that you really cared and respected them." The girl wrapped up the knives again, "You're right. I treat my knives like a human life. I will not let them get tossed around or disrespected, they should never be talked down upon. Even my dull machete. Its been in my family for 5 generations. I don't think it will last a 6th though. It's on its last leg. I just pray I'm not around to see it get destroyed. It would kill me."

Melk smiled, "Your respect for your knives are really endearing. Sometimes I think that my interest in my client's knives are a hindrance to my concentration. I'm not like the first generation." Éclair shrugged, "So what. You're great at what you do. You broke tradition. It's not the worst thing in the world, it just shows your individuality." The girl looked at the knife in Melk's hand, "I'm confused, that knife already looks really sharp. It couldn't get any sharper." "I assure you, there is a small dent. It's too small for the eye to recognize. But for a chef, using a knife like this could really effect the preparation." He rubbed the knife against the whetstone, and he began to sweat profusely. "It's done. Though my master could do it without dropping a single bead of sweat." The blond girl rolled her eyes, "Who cares, you're your own person and you did phenomenal. I literally have goosebumps. I really didn't see anything because it was so fast, but that still has me shivering like I'm in Ice Hell." He smiled, "Thank you. It all depends on the type of knife and its quality on whether it's slow or fast." The girl yawned, "I am pooped. I'm going to head to sleep." He pointed up the large stairs, "There's a futon you can sleep on upstairs." The girl bowed, "Thank you Melk."

The girl woke up the next day by the smell of something delicious. She stretched as she walked downstairs, "Morning." "Good morning Éclair. I made some soup if you want some." She grabbed a bowl from the counter and took a sip, "Mmm, this is really good. Hey, if you ever want to give up cutlery you can always cook." The boy laughed, "You're too kind." She sat in a seat beside the sharpener, "Please tell me you weren't up all night." He nodded, "There are so many orders, I can't sleep. I have a ton of orders today too." She sipped her soup as she watched the pro at work. "I still can't believe the demand for all the knives. You know, when I would see them in the department store, I would fawn over the for their beauty. But now that I see all the work that gets put into it, I admire them so much more." The girl put her bowl back on the counter and grabbed the boy's hand. "Come one Melk, you're taking a break. I know what it means to work hard, but if you don't rest you'll drive yourself crazy."

The two stood outside once again and looked down the Melk Mountain. "Do you think Toriko is alright?" Éclair nodded, "Of course he is. Not only is he strong, but he has our blessings and faith. He'll make it back." She looked back, "Ooh, is that an Air Bath?" Melk nodded, "Yeah, and a hot spring. My master dug it up when he was young. Would you like to go in?" "Boy would I!"

The girl sat in the hot bath as she looked up at the stars. "This is nice. I never thought I'd be here, not in a million years. I liked the way my life was going, but ever since I met Toriko, its been changing in such a great way. As his partner I will be sure to cook him the greatest foods I can, but there's no way I can truly pay him back. He's done so much for me and I will always appreciate it." She looked back at the house, "Melk. He's such a great blacksmith. He holds first generation with such high regard. He needs to know that his skill is unparalled. I've been in this thing for hours, I need to get out before I turn into a prune." She walked back into the workshop with a towel around her waist. "Hey, do you have clothes I can use? I don't care if they're boyish, I'm used to looking like a boy anyway." The boy pointed upstairs, "Yeah, there should be some fresh clothes upstairs in my drawer. You can use them." She smiled, "Thanks."

She went upstairs and opened the drawer. "All he has is over sized shirts! Whatever, I guess I'll wear it anyway." As she lay on the futon, she looked up at the ceiling. The girl heard someone getting into the Air Bath. "Good to know Melk is finally taking a break. I think I'll make some food for him." She quickly made her way to the kitchen and fired up the stove. "He made me some soup. I wish I could make him some Century Soup. Well, I'll use the ingredients I have here. They're still wonderful." She hummed away as she started to grill some meat and vegetables. She poured the ingredients into a bowl of soup, "Ta da! Now to serve a midnight snack." She walked outside to the Air Bath, "Hey Melk I made you a snack. You need to relax so~" Her eyes glazed as she saw a naked body before her. It only took her a quick second to regain focus. "You're a girl?"

"Yes, is this a problem?" The blond girl shrugged, "Not at all, though it was kind of strange that you allowed us to refer to you as a boy this whole time." The black haired girl put her hands on her hips, "I need to talk to you Éclair." She nodded, "Sure, just as soon as you get your boobies out of my face. I'm gonna bring the soup inside. Get dressed and we'll talk."